The Habit of Reading Books
                                            in
                               Wuthering Heights
Examples:
1. "He bore his degradation pretty well at first, because Cathy taught him what she learnt, and worked or played with in the fields……..But it was one of their chief amusements to run away to the moors in the morning and remain there all day, and the after punishment grew a mere thing to laugh at." (chapter6, page38)
2. "I had brought some of my nicest books for him; he asked me to read a little of one..." (chapter24, page209, the third line)
3."I beheld Linton laid on a little sofa, reading one of my books..."  (chapter24, page211, the first line)
4. "The male speaker began to read- he was a young man, respectably dressed, and seated at a table, having a book before him. His handsome features glowed with pleasure, and his eyes kept impatiently wandering from the page to a small white hand over his shoulder, which recalled him by a smart slap in the cheek, whenever its owner detected such signs of inattention." (chapter32, page256)
5. "But her ingenuity was at work to remedy the injury; while I ironed, or pursued other stationary employments I could not….-she would bring some pleasant volume, and read it aloud to me, when Hareton was there, she generally paused in an interesting part and left the book lying about..." (chapter32, page260)
6. "Catherine employed herself in wrapping a handsome book neatly in white paper; and having tied it with a bit of ribband, and addressed it to  Hareton Earnshaw..."
Analysis:
        When moving to the second generation, it is easy to find out that books played an important role in this novel. In the first generation, Catherine and Heathcliff seldom read. (Example1)    And in the second generation, almost all the characters like to read. (Except Hareton)     Though Hareton did not like read that much, but reading helped improve the relationship between him and Catherine. (Example 4,6)      When Catherine met Linton for the first few times, books also helped them to be familiar with each other. (Example 2,3)      This is totally different from the first generation.
        After 1835, the Bronte sisters were seldom at home. They all went somewhere else to find their jobs.   During this period of time, Emily spent more time than the other three staying at home.   She not only helped the maid with the housework, but also took care of her father.   When she was free, what she did was nothing except reading and writing.   Emily found her own wonderful world in the books (far from the painful reality and disease) and felt happy and peace when she read.   Maybe that is why she emphasized on reading in this novel.
 
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